Dark Deals, Part Two
'Tyrants Issue 19 "Dark Deals, Part Two." ' Front cover- along the bottom of the cover is the words AGAINST THE SPIRIT OF THE MOUNTAIN! The Spirit itself is shown standing before Mount Vesuvius, standing 100ft high. The Spirit is vaguely humanoid in shape, made of black rock, with seams of lava running through it. It is grappling with Lava Flow, who at his full growth size, is almost half the size of the Spirit. The American Kestrel flies around the head in circles, his wings made of fire, leaving a halo of fire behind him. Skyscraper is, at her full growth height, actually towering above the spirit, her arms locked around its chest. Rook sits cross legged within a summoning circle chalked onto the rocky ground. His team stand around him in a circle, within the circle marked on the ground, though Lava Flow and Skyscraper are currently at human size, and Grapplor towers above the rest, as his tendrils are place around the team, raising him to about ten foot into the air. Kestrel stands in the circle, though his wings are out, and Viral is in electrical form, though on the ground. "So, if the thing does just do what Rook wants, we're safe inside this circle, but if he doesn't do what it wants, we have to destroy it right?" Viral asks. "Yup" says Lava Flow. "Okay. So that means we have to leave the safe circle?" "Yup." "Okay, lets hope its really easily persuaded then." "You scared, little man?" Flow asks. "Of course I am! This things the spirit of the mountain... AND LOOK WHAT MOUNTAIN!" Viral points at Mt Vesuvius. "He has a point. I have seen what it is imprisoning. And it named itself after the mountain" says Inquisitor. "You see! Even the INQUISITOR, the guy who rips stuff out of people's brains, is scared of the thing this spirit is TRAPPING... so how bad does that make the Spirit?" "Finally we see eye to eye" says Inquisitor. "Viral is right to fear. We are releasing two things that could very kill us." "Not me. I'm immune to fire... I think" says Lava Flow. "Not been tested, but makes sense." "And I absorb heat" adds Sky Scraper. "Then ah'm stayin' close to you, girl" says Viral. "Not too close. That'll sting." "I can turn this off, you know" says Viral. "If you're worried about getting killed, Viral, then staying that way might be a good idea", says Kestrel. In the distance, many civilians are watching, but none are coming too close to the obvious super-beings. "Spirit of the Mountain, I call to you. Here my summons. I bind you to this ground, so that we may see and hear you. I ask of you a boon!" Rook calls out. The ground rumbles violently. "Don't worry people... if that thing erupts, or any thing that looks like its gonna kill us all comes, I'll port us out" says Holdem. "People are just gonna have to keep me safe to I can jump us when need be." "Got back" says Grapplor. "Grapplor, I love it when you say things" says Lava Flow. A shelf of vertical black rock lifts up before the group of villains. They all look up in unison. Its shadow casts across them. "I can do bigger" says Skyscraper. "The woman who can absorb heat. To grow. At the foot of a volcano... I dearly hope you can ''do bigger says Inquisitor." "WHAT DO YOU WISH OF ME, MAGICIAN?" says the Spirit of the Mountain. "A BOON ASKED, TWICE IN A CENTURY. VERY RARE INDEED. WHAT BOON, DO YOU WISH?" "In fact, my boon is simply to reverse the last. To release the creature you hold within your mountain." "THIS BOON IS DENIED." Rook stands. "Great mountain, I know that this would seem a destructive act, but you are a creature has seen the Earth through all its cycles, a creature of great patience. Though what you release may destroy, it is all part of a greater scheme, something that will save the planet you are bound to." "HOW WOULD DESTRUCTION OF THE EARTH, HELP IT?" "In releasing the one who names itself after your mountain, the attention of many guardians of this planet would be raised, and it would be dealt with. Meanwhile, I will... I will be able to conduct the means to acquire something to defend the people of this planet from enemies beyond the stars." "BETTER YOU LEAVE MY CHARGE WHERE IT RESIDES, AND BRING YOUR SCHEME TO YOUR PLANET'S GUARDIANS, AND DEFEND IT TOGETHER." "They will not listen, great Spirit. They percieve me a threat, due to past crimes I cannot deny. But I wish to absolve myself of sin." "HOW? THROUGH MORE SINS?" "Alas, your logical is infallible Great Spirit." He looks to his team. "It is held. Whilst the circle is unmarred, something itself it cannot harm itself, it has physical form. Destroy it." "Destroying stuff to save the world? No way you can explain ''that ''one" says Lava Flow. "Fortunately, bein' someone who used to be made of rock, I'm gonna find this kinda carthartic... and, I like my planet not bein' invaded, whatever weird way you wanna make sure that happens." Lava Flow grows to forty feet in height, and then stretches up his arms, and tries to locks hands with the Spirit, but his lava hands engulf the lava hands, not melting at all. "So yeah... uh, I'm maybe distracting him!" Flow yells. Skyscraper looks at the volcano. "Okay, Mister Heat Source...." She grows in size. Her own shadow casts over the Mountain. "Do your stuff!" The comic shows Skyscraper, about double the size of the mountain. "Boys, its a good thing you keep the ladies around." She punches the mountain across the 'head' sending a massive crack down it, that runs across the chest. "Arrrrgh! Think I broke a finger..." Skyscraper she calls out, as she clutches her hand. Kestrel flies up, turning his body and wings into rock like the mountain. He puts his wing tips in front of him, and flies right at the crack in the face, unloading a mass of stone spikes, but they seem to bounce off the face ineffectually. Viral walks into the leg of the monster. "Lets make it punch itself to death then... then no broken... arrrrrrgh!" He is hurled out of it. "Okay, its possesion proof." He runs back in the circle. "FOOLS!" booms the Spirit. He punches Skyscraper in the chest, but she manages to withstand the blow with a small "oof!" "Its body is strong. But if it cannot mark a simple circle, I doubt much for its will!" Inquisitor calls out, raising a hand out. "Rrrr.... it resists... but is... immobilised." Bushfire throws seed into the ground, then takes out a small remote like device, which emits an EEEEE. And vines burst out of the ground, forming into a creature of vines larger than Lava Flow, but smaller than the spirit. The vines disgorge across the Spirit's torso, wrapping its arms to its sides. "Good work, my lady. I belieive that between us, we have it paralysed. The only concern is, the one who can hurt it, breaks fingers doing so." "Its calls, I got this. I can use heat sources for stuff other than growing, you know!" she yells out. "I can boost cellular repair, too!" She flexes her fingers off the broken hand, as they glow with heat. "YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT DESTRUCTION YOU WILL UNLEASH!" "Actually, I think we do." She thumps it in the head again, and the Spirit's head flies apart. As the pieces of rock fall towards the ground, they turn to black dust. Rook suddenly stands. "It is done." The volcano shakes. He looks to Holdem. "Go." The entire team blurs for a moment, and then they are gone. Lava is shown spewing out of the top of Mount Vesuvius. The comics cut to Rook's penthouse, where all the team arrives. "Hang on, aren't the authorities looking for you here?" Viral asks, "They are. Five years from now." Lava Flow looks to Texas. "Time travel?" "Time travel" he concurs, and nods. "Isn't this going to cause a problem when you come home.. past, you, that is" asks Skyscraper. "I can assure that this time's version of me is quite, quite busy in Titan City." "You are a man of many contingencies" says Inquisitor. "I will take that as a compliment", Rook replies. "It was." "So what now, fearless leader? We ready for your whole steal the mysterious thing you want to steal, and then somehow save the world?" "The benefit of having Mister Holdem is as can indeed go to the exact time we need to to make this acquisition, yes. But first, I think you all have earned yourself some time for rest and relaxation." "What, here?" "Yes, and since we shouldn't be in this time, you must alas, stay in the penthouse. However, I do have a fully stocked mini-bar." "Music to my ears" says American Kestrel. Narration- "Later that night." Rook stands out on the balcony, looking up at the stars. Viral comes out onto the balcony. "Too many schemes to sleep?" "It is not a scheme. I am going to absolve my sins and save the world." "Strange bunch you got to do that. The big Spirit guy had a point. Why not tell the heroes what you know?" "They know what is coming as well I. However, the means I know involves theft." "Couldn't you just tell the heroes what you want, and they can ask for it nicely?" "The Olympians are not the type to give away their powerful technology." "Oooooh... we gotta steal from ''Olympians?" "Yes." "And what if you ask nicely, and tell them its to stop aliens invading... I mean, aliens blew up their... planet, right?" "The very same aliens I am trying to prevent", Rook turns to look at Viral. "The Kraan, they are called." "Okay, so they've got vested interest." "And also reason to fight." "You're not gonna fight? I fought we were going to steal some big laser or something." "No. I means of defence is a means of escape." "Then tell the gods they can stay and have their fight, and we can escape, if they give us their... doohickey, whatever it is," "Alas, as sound as your logic might be, I will not be able to gain audience. New Olympus has both ex-Team Titan and Team Titan allies among its hierarchy. And the heroes would not listen to me if I came to them. Therefore, we must take the task before us. If you wish, any of you may leave." "Pass up the heist of the century? Stealing from the gods! No way, boss-man. You got us for keeps!" Rook smiles. "Good." Viral opens the balcony doors to go back into the penthouse, then turns round, and shuts the door again. "So earlier. You stabbed a guy. Still don't remember?" "No." "Doesn;t that worry you. You were laughing. You don't do that. Doesn't that worry you." "It does." There is a panel of silence, Viral goes back into the balcony. "You should tell him... tell him there's something in there... but that'd be admitting... admitting you tried to possess him when he was down... not a good idea... ''not ''a good idea, He might stab you. Just do the job, get your money... then leave him to his crazy. Yeah." Rook goes into the bathroom. He stares into the mirror. "No." The reader cannot see his reflection only him. "You're gone!" "Oh, you know I can't die, Rook" comes a disembodied speech bubble. End of issue.